Finishing the school year well

4 min read

It may seem too early to be thinking and planning for the end of the school year, however, the summer holidays will come around very quickly.  That makes now a perfect time not only to celebrate achievements but also to set our homes and lives in order to ensure a smooth transition into the summer months.  

APDO member Sheena Taylor shares 6 practical ideas to inspire and support your household’s transition from school year to school holidays.

1. Reflect and Celebrate 

The end of the school year can cause many emotions to surface, and it can be useful to spend time helping your child to process them.  Discuss things that have gone well, and those situations that have been more challenging but have been overcome.  Taking time to think about the highs and the lows will help to balance any feelings that your child may experience and give a more realistic overview of what the school year was really like.

Allow your child time to reflect on their accomplishments throughout the year and to celebrate their successes.  This is the perfect opportunity to look through notebooks, and have your child choose one proud piece of work from each book to keep and store before recycling the rest.  Create a folder with these pieces as memories for the years to come.  

2. Consider Teachers

Teachers work incredibly hard throughout the year, planning, marking, attending meetings, preparing lessons and teaching, and this is an opportunity to show appreciation for their efforts.  There are many thoughtful gift suggestions that can be found online nowadays that don’t require much money or a personalised note sharing a special memory from your child would also do the trick.

3. Manage Energy

The lead up to summer often becomes very busy with trips, school fetes, productions and parties, all of which come with high levels of excitement followed by low, tired energy.  Try and manage this time so that your child’s schedule allows for downtime between events.  Be wary of the temptation to fill the spare moments with fun activities to make the most of the warmer weather.  Remember that there will be plenty of time for these things during the summer holidays.  

4.  Plan Ahead

One way to do this is to get out a calendar that is easily accessible to all family members, and write down any events, special occasions, holidays and days out that have already been planned. This gives a clear idea of any time left that can be filled with things that want or need to be done.  Start to think about anything that is a priority by choice or by circumstance. Perhaps there is a DIY or decluttering project that can be delayed no longer. This is the time to make sure time is put aside to get it completed. 

A fun idea is to create a bucket list of things that every family member would like to do over these glorious, sunshine-filled days. They don’t need to be elaborate or expensive ideas, only things that will bring joy such as picnics in the park, outdoor concerts, movies, barbecues, campfires, days at the beach or watching the sunset. This is an opportunity to make sure there are planned moments to look forward to around the busy schedule.

5. Uniform and Supplies 

It may seem impractical to be thinking about uniform and supplies now when schools haven’t yet broken up for the summer holidays, but preparing now will avoid high levels of stress as the Autumn term approaches.  

Go through backpacks, desks, and study areas to sort out what can be kept for next year, what needs to be replaced, and what can be donated or recycled. This clears up space and helps prepare a list of supplies for the upcoming school year.

Give everything that can be used again a thorough clean: backpacks, lunch boxes, school shoes (if there is a chance they will still fit in September) and water bottles.  Take stock of school uniform: items that can be worn again, items that require repairing or items that will become rags.  Make a note of your child’s school requirements, create a list, and decide now what will need to be purchased.  

6.  Declutter for a Relaxing Summer

Closets and bedrooms can become very cluttered during the busy school year, which can make it harder to find things.  Work through these areas as a family to see what can be donated or recycled.  

Donating items that are no longer needed will teach your children the value of giving to other people. Items may include clothes, toys, and books. Explain how donations can help other children and families, which will foster a sense of empathy and responsibility.  Decluttering will also free up space around your home, making it easier to locate things when needed.

By following these tips, the end-of-school year can be a positive and productive experience for the whole family.  Being well-organised sets the stage for a relaxed and enjoyable summer, knowing that important tasks have been completed, and everyone’s efforts and ideas have been taken into consideration.  Have a wonderful summer holiday!  

Sheena Taylor, founder of Your Professional Organiser, is an eco-friendly life organiser who helps her overwhelmed clients, many with ADHD, make space for life to be easier, moving from a place of struggle to one of confidence in staying on top of things.  Sheena also enjoys volunteering as APDO’s Reuse and Recycling Coordinator.  She lives in South Croydon with her husband, son and cat, Maisie. 

If you would like to find your local Professional Organiser, search our Find an Organiser directory.